Think of it as a muscle. The more you and I tune in to the conversations we have with our self the better wewill get at hearing them. Journaling, or jotting down thoughts and feelings creates inner awareness which in turn strengthens your inner being.

When I began to think about my feelings, for example, instead of just be confused and led by them, I can stand back from myself and see what’s actually happening.

Yougain strength, smarts, and wholeness, when you are aware of what’s happening in your inner life.

Sometimes it’s as simple as giving the feeling a name.

You may have hidden from your feelings for so long you don’t know your what’s real and what’s a facade.

As we listen to our conversations within we become wiser. We step back and see what’s spilling out and gain greater self understanding. With a bit less emotion, we view our life and it’s circumstances more realistically.

Human desire stirs my emotions. When I act on these desires, without thought, I am weak.

Human desire is infinite by it’s nature; it cannot be satisfied. You must take your stand against it because you cannot satisfy it. You can never get enough money, if you want money. You can never get enough power, if you want power. You can never get enough love, you can never get enough glory. It is impossible. So fundamental is this truth that every person who wishes to follow Christ must understand it. Dallas Willard Life Without Lack

Tuning in to these inner conversations gives me an edge. It helps me get a handle on my want-to-self . . . I want to do this, and I want to do that. It is a life led by self.

I’ve discovered this, me – myself – and – I, way of living is not satisfying.

It begins to make sense when I understand my human desires are infinite and cannot be satisfied apart from God.

Dallas Willard continues to explain this further.

Desire is infinite partly because we were made by God, made for God, made to need God, and made to run on God. We can be satisfied only by the one who is infinite, eternal, and able to supply all our needs; we are only at home in God. When we fall away from God, the desire for the infinite remains, but it is displaced upon things that will certainly lead to destruction.

Being quiet enough to hear your inner conversations prepares the soil for you to hear God.

We can ignore, neglect, shame, or deny, our emotional hunger for a while, but eventually it will reach back to bit us. The more we ignore our emotional hunger the hungrier we get.

Jesus is the only One who can fill us. If we ignore His intimate presence our spirits can become bitter or even toxic.

With God’s grace, as we become intimately acquainted with our inner world of thoughts and feelings, we will also be better able to surrender our will to Him.

It’s here we will find deep peace and joy because our wills are made to surrender to God.

Questions

Do you have trouble hearing your own voice?

Have you been honest enough with yourself to say, ‘it’s difficult trying to be a better person”?